Apparel construction



E. J. PLEET APPAREL CONSTRUQTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2l, 1948///////A///(ll ?atented Aug. 2, i949 APPAREL QONSTBUCTIQN Emanuel J.Fleet, Baltimore, Md.

Application June 21, 1948, Serial No. 34,205 s claims'. (ci. z-zss) Thisinvention relates'l to wearing apparel and more particularly t'othat'type of wearing apparel having a waist region and vertical pleatsextending from the waist region, such as trousers, skirts, etc.

.A particular application of this invention is in the field of trousersand an object thereof is the fabrication of trousers having a particulartype of vertical pleat combined with `so called concealed belt tunnels.

The advantages of belt tunnels for trousers are well known, includedamong which are the fact that such tunnels aiord better and more uniformsupport for the trousers by a belt than the ordinary narrow belt loops,prevent unsightly sagging of the trousers on the person, and in generalprovide a more comfortable, better fitting and neater appearingconstruction. y

In recent years, it has become popular to fabricate trousers withvertical pleats at the front, usually one or more of them spaced fromthe center over each trouser leg. Such pleats give more comfort andfreedom for the wearer in providing an expansible front which preventsbinding and tightness around the lower waist region when the person iswalking or occupies a sitting position, and in general, is a moredesirable construction than trousers made without such pleats.

From the point of view of appearance, the more popular forms of pleatsare the box types, that is, those in which the inner edges of the pleatsare directed toward the center of trousers rather than toward the sides.Trousers pleated in this way tend to conceal a bulging waist line byproducing a forwardly offset effect at the front of the trousers. In theother type of pleated trousers the vcenter section is directed'rearwardly and therefore has a tendency to become shaped to the contourof the waist, presenting an appearance which is frequently undesirable.

In previous forms of trousers having belt tunnels of the concealed typeand vertical pleats it has been necessary to form the pleats with theinner edges thereof directed toward the sides because of the necessityfor utilizing the inner parts of the pleat at the waist region forattaching the forward ends of the belt tunnels. The principal object ofthis invention is the provision of trousers having concealed belttunnels and also vertical pleats of the box type, wherein the inneredges thereof extend toward the center of the trousers, away from theside pockets, and hence possess all the advantages of both the box typepleat construction and the concealed belt tunnels. it is also an objectoi this invention to provide such a construction with a minimumzofmaterials and labor operations.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and accompanying drawing illustrating oneembodiment of the invention, in which drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view and Fig. 2 a rear View of the upper portion of apair of trousers constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front view of a part of the trousers shown insection in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. l6 is a iront view corresponding to Fig. 4 with the pleat fullyopened.`

Fig. 7 is a portion of-a strip ofmaterial used in making a belt tunnelshowing the fold line.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the relation between the lowerand-upper pleat sections and the belt tunnel attached to the latter.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 with the pleat partially unfolded.

Fig. 10 is a section along the line lil-iii of Fig. 3.

Referring with more particularity tothe drawing in which like numeralsdesignate like parts, the embodiment illustrated comprises an ordinarypair of trousers il having vertical pleats i2 and i3 on the front wallwith their inner-edges directed toward the center or reference line it.Concealed belt tunnels or channels on either side of the reference line,each extend from said pleats at openings i5 and i6, respectively aroundthe waist to points il and i8, respectively, at the rear of the waist. v

In general, the method of providing these pleats and belt tunnelscomprises rst forming the pleats in the front wall of the trousermaterial with their inner edges is directed away from the front centeror reference line it, said pleats running across the waist region of thetrousers. Each pleat is then cut downwardly across the waist regionalonga line 2@ (see Fig. 8) removed from the outer edge 2i of the pleat,preferably between the inner and outer edges so as to leave a doublevertical portion 2 2. This downward cut should be sumciently long toaccommodate the width of the belt to be used in supporting the trousers.A further cut is then made along a line 23 from the bottom of the rstcut across the pleat to its outer edge 2 i leaving the pleat in twoindependent parts, the upper part consisting of a front flap 2d and arear ap 25, and the lower part consisting of the remaining part of thepleat below the waist region with the dcuble vertical portion it inte- 3gral therewith. This lower part oi the pleat with its attached verticalLportion 22 is then reversed so that its inner edge Il is now directedtoward the centeror reference line 'I4 in whichposition it is'made-secure by stitching its upper edge to the-trouser'jlinlng. The naps 24and 25 are disposed within 'and sewed toone end of a vtubular strip 26,which is secured to thetop of the trousers .such as the lining I5 andthe upper edge of the Y lower part of the pleats in reversed position issecured thereto. The t`op o! the vertical portion 22 may also be securedto the upper edge of the trousers to insure proper support andpositioning of the pleat. Although it is preferred to employ such asupporting strip. it may, if desired be dispensed withI in which eventthe downward cut (line 20) may be made at the extreme inner edge I9 ofthe pleat rather than at a pointy removed from it.

The above method for the sake of simplicity has been described by stepsin which the pleats were formed rst, but it is apparent that the sameresults may be obtained by cutting the material along equivalent linesprior to the formation of the pleats as shown in Fig. 6. Also the pleatsmay be rst formed with the inner edges thereof directed toward thecenter reference line and then reversing the upper section thereof whensevered from the lower section.

It is also to be understood that although the invention has beendescribed with respect .to a particular embodiment of trousers, it isequally as well adapted to other forms of wearing apparel,

such as skirts, pajamas, etc.

In use, one end of a belt (not shown) is inserted through one of thefront openings I5 or I6, say I5, and pushed through its correspondingtubular strip 26 whereupon it emerges from the opening Il at the rear.It is then inserted through the rear opening I8 oi the other tubularstrip and proceeds therethrough until it emerges from the front openingI6 where it is connected to the other end of the belt, such as by abuckle or other suitable means.

I claim:

1. An article of apparel having a waist region, vertical pleatsextending across the waist region on either side of a vertical referenceline of the article, said pleats having their waist sections separatedfrom their remaining sections, said remaining sections being disposedwith the inner edges thereof directed toward the reference line, saidwaist sections comprising each a front portion and a separate rearportion, said portions being disposed with the inner edges thereofdirected -away from the reference'line and tubular members secured tosaid portions and to the upper edge of the waist region.

y 2. A pair of trousers having vertical pleats on either side of thefront center, said pleats extending across the waist region of thetrousers and having their waist sections separate from the remaininglower sections, the latter sections being disposed with thev innerlongitudinal edges thereof 2l directed toward the center of thetrousers, said waist sections being disposed in the opposite direction.a tubular member about the waist region of the trousers, one of saidwaist sections being secured to one end of said tubular member.

3. A pair ot trousers having vertical pleats on either side of the frontcenter, said pleats extending across the waist region of the trousersand having each a pair of flap portions at their waist sections, saidflap portions being separate from the remaining lower sections, thelatter sections being disposed with the inner longitudinal edges thereofdirected toward the center of the trousers, said flap portions beingdisposed in theopposite direction, a tubular member about the waistregion of the trousers, a pair of said ap portions being secured to oneend of said tubular member.

4. In the manufacture o! an article of apparel having a waist regionwith concealed belt tunnels and vertical pleats', the steps comprisingforming a vertical pleat in the apparel material on either side of avertical reference line, each pleat extending across the waist region,cutting each pleat longitudinally along a line removed from the outeredge thereof adjacent the waist portion,

cutting the pleats transversely from the bottom of the longitudinallines to separate each pleat into two sections, one of which sectionscomprises a pair of front and rear aps, forming a tubular member,securing one end of said tubular member to a pair of said ilaps andsecuring the transversely cut end of the other section in ixed positionrelative to the article with the inner longitudinal edge of said othersection directed toward the reference line.

5. In the manufacture of an article of apparel having a waist regionwith concealed belt tunnels and vertical Ipleats, the steps comprisingforming a vertical pleat in the apparel material on either side of avertical reference line, each pleat extending across the waist region,cutting the pleats longitudinally at the outer edge of the waist regionand transversely from the bottom of the longitudinal lines to separateeach pleat into two sections, one of which sections comprises a pair offront and rear flaps, forming a tubular member, securing one end of saidtubular member to a pair of said ilaps and securing the transversely cutend of the other section in xed position relative to the article withthe inner longitudinal edge of said other section directed toward thereference line.

6. In the manufacture of trousers having concealed belt tunnels andvertical pleats, the steps comprising forming a vertical pleat in thetrouser material on either side of the front center, said pleatsextending across the waist portion of the trousers, cutting each pleatlongitudinally along a line removed from the outer edge thereof adjacentto the waist portion of the trousers, cutting the pleats transverselyfrom the bottom of the longitudinal lines to separate each pleat into anupper section consisting of a pair of flaps and a lower section having avertical extension, securing the vertical extension of the lower sectionof the pleat in a iixed position relative to the trousers with the innerlongitudinal edge of the pleat directed toward the center of thetrousers. said upper section being disposed in a direction opposite tothat of said lower section, whereby one of said flaps is disposed infront of the other,

forming a flat tubular member having a front wall and a rear wall andsecuring the front flap 76 to the front wall of the tubular member andthe other ap to the rear wall of the tubular mem ber.

7. In the manufacture of trousers having concealed belt tunnels andvertical pleats, the steps comprising for-ming a vertical pleat in thetrouser material on either side of the front center, said pleatsextending across the waist portion of the trousers, cutting the pleatslongitudinally at the outer edge of the waist region and transverselyfrom the bottom of theilongitudinal lines to separate each pleat into anupper section consisting of a pair of aps and a lower section having avertical extension, securing the vertical extension of the lower sectionof the pleat in a xed position relative to the trousers with the innerlongitudinal edge of the pleat directed toward the center of thetrousers, said upper section being disposed in a direction opposite tothat of said lower section, whereby one of said iiaps is disposed infront of the other, forming a at tubular member having a front wall anda rear wall and securing the front flap to the front wall 0f the tubularmember and the other iiap to the rear wall of the tubular member.

8. In the manufacture of trousers having concealed belt tunnels andvertical pleats, the steps of the trousers and bringing said flapstogether'` .in front and rear relationship with respect to each otherbehind the front wall of the trousers on the side of the pleat oppositethe inner edge thereof and securing one end of the belt tunnel to saidflaps.

EMANUEL4 J. PLEET.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the le ofthis patent:

vUNrrED STATES PATENTS Name Date Number Marx Dec. 10, 1912

